1st May to Bulgaria (Plovdiv - Borovets - Smolyan)

Coffee at Nevrokopi, before getting in Bulgaria

Usually when we get in Bulgaria we see the lake of Dospat. This time we didn't, but we discovered another very beautiful lake. On the road of Devin to Plovdiv we ride near the water. This is Vacha lake. I think...

Arriving in Plovdiv. We park near the old town and we get in the central park of the city. It's very beautiful, colorful and clean.

Chears!

I know how you doin'... :D

We liked Plovdiv a lot. So we decided to stay for a coffee although it's going to get dark.

We are leaving Plovdiv almost night and we have to ride to Borovets. We afraid of not finding something to eat in there at 11 o'clock.

Next morning we are watching the preparation of the bikers, while drinking coffee and smoking after a fast breakfast (it was real break fast).

"Peeing in nature is a religious ritual we give our promise to the land that on day we will divinitely come back to it" as Milan Kuntera has written.

We've just learnt that the road from Sestrimo village to Belmeken lake is closed of snow.

1st May: Hey May, we've got you

Although we are sure that there is so much snow, we decide to give a try to get in Belmeken lake from the second road hoping... We are lucky.

Yes! Here we are. Belmeken lake. The Belmeken is a high mountain lake at an elevation of 2,058 m above the sea level, located in the Rila mountain range, in southwestern Bulgaria. The surface of the road is paved and it was part of the 2010 WRC Rally Bulgaria.

The road to reach this dam starts in Sestrimo and it has a length of 27km through lovely old coniferous woods. The Belmeken is the highest dam lake on the Balkan peninsula.

Fishing in the frozen lake. It's really cold and windy and we can't stand in here much time. How do they do it?

After Belmeken we stop for a coffee in Velingrad. We have much road to Smolyan and finally we do it by rain...

This is a real suite! We got excited with our room in Luxor hotel in Smolyan.

Next day. On the road to home. A few kilometers before Zlatograd.

Finally we are back. We get in Kotani, in the famous tavern. We are really hungry and the view is perfect.

Genuine turkish coffee after lunch is the perfect end of a great trip... ;) ;)

This is the route of this great ride of 960 kilometers: